Colony Collapse Disorder

Bees are responsible for pollinating one out of every three foods that we eat.  In recent years, scientists have desperately been searching for an answer to the mysterious disappearance of bee populations world wide.  This has been dubbed CCD – Colony Collapse Disorder and commercial beekeepers have lost as much as 30% of their commercial honey bees since 2006. 

• PBS Newshour – Scientists puzzled by honey bee decline (July 28, 2011)
• South Dakota Participating in Colony Collapse Disorder Study (RC Journal, June 13, 2010)
• Avaaz Organization – Save the Bees Petition
• Mother Earth News – Page Dedicated to Colony Collapse Disorder
• Mother Earth News – Colony Collapse – Pair of Pathogens to blame? (12/2010)
• Mother Earth News – Colony Collapse – Are pesticides killing honeybees? (11/2009)

Bee Diseases and Pests

Honey Bees are also susceptable to a variety of diseases and pests. 

• Science Buzz – Marla Spivak answers questions about bees and Varroa Mites (Note Marla Spivak is a University of Minnesota entomologist and is extremely active in researching honey bees.  There is a lot of information in the Q&A provided by this link.
• BeeMaster list of Bee Diseases
• BeeMaster Wax Moth Damage
• Bushy Mountain Bee Forum – Diseases and Pests
• Cornell University Master Beekeeper Program – Diseases
• Honey Bee Parasites/Pests/Predators/Diseases (MAAREC)
• YouTube Video – Bees fighting Varoa Mites